Putting an End to the Friendship
by Harleyzgirl
Summary: Penelope believes this may be the beginning of the end for her friendship with Derek.


Putting an End to the Friendship

If there is one thing that Penelope Garcia was confident in from day to day it was the friendship she shared with Derek Morgan. As such, she was keenly aware when things began to unravel. Most people who knew them would likely point to when life went to hell in a hand basket and Battle nearly killed her. A few more might point to the year she spent dating Kevin Lynch. And others still might say it had to do with Derek's ignoring of her advice and getting involved with a victim's sister. Penelope though would point to one seemingly insignificant point. It was so extraordinarily, not extraordinary that it likely didn't even register with anyone other than her and apparently Derek as well.

They had an understanding, regardless of where they were, whom they were dating or what case he might be working on he always called on the evening of November 12th. If he were in town they'd go out for dinner, a drink and/or a movie. If he was out of town which had been the case for five of the last eight years then he would call in the evening once they had settled for the day and they'd talk sometimes only for a few minutes and at least once all night. It was their one night of the year. Or it had been.

Yesterday, they'd spoken throughout the day about the case and she'd even teleconferenced with them from the city of Burns, Oregon where they currently were on a case. Not certain when Derek might call she'd carried her cell with her everywhere, not even daring to leave it in her office when she had to deal with human necessity. She'd finished all the research they needed for the day and she knew they'd gone for dinner and then would be heading to the hotel for the night. That had been nearly four hours ago. It was now nearly 2 hours into November 13th on the east coast and her expected call from Derek had never come.

Restless, she gave up pretending to sleep and went to curl up on her couch and watch something go boom as loudly as she dared without having to incur the wrath of her neighbours. Con Air was coming to a rather satisfactory explosive conclusion just as her phone buzzed in her bedroom. Glancing at the clock on the dvd player the time read 4:35 AM. Over ninety minutes late even for the west coast. As tempted, as she was to go and see what his explanation might be she chose instead to finish watching the movie first.

Several minutes later, now content that justice prevailed slowly even in film sometimes she shut off the TV and player and headed back to her room. She was in the short hall between her room and the living room when she heard a key in her door. Panic set in quickly since the only folks, Derek, JJ and Hotch with keys to her place were several hundred miles away in Oregon. Since Battle she'd taken to having some form of defensive devices strategically placed in her apartment. Where she stood she was annoyingly between three but not overly close to any. Opting for fight over flight she headed to the kitchen and the long, sturdy filleting knife she preferred.

Knife in palm she stood pressed against the entryway to her kitchen, facing the door. It opened to reveal an outline she'd recognize anywhere and she went from panic, to confusion in milliseconds. "Derek?"

"Hey, Pen. I'm sorry I missed it but did you get my message?"

"What are you doing here?" She stepped back into the kitchen to put the knife back in its place in the block while Derek had his back turned relocking her door.

"As we were heading out for dinner the world tilted and all kinds of crazy things started happening at once. The end result was the woman we were looking for turned the tables on the UNSUB and fatally wounded him. The county sheriff's deputy found her wandering while on patrol and by the time we should have been settling into the hotel for the night we were wheels up instead. I sent you a text as soon as we were in the air to let you know I was going to head straight over."

"Your message arrived about half an hour ago."

"So, I'm in the dog house?"

"You should be."

"I'm sorry, baby girl. I really didn't forget. How can I make it up to you?"

"How about you get some rest and we'll worry about it in the morning."

"No. This is too important. The fact that you obviously didn't read my message because it was late tells me we can't sleep on this the way it is right now."

"Derek, it's fine. It was bound to happen eventually and it's just a silly thing."

"Not to me and obviously not to you."

"I'm tired. You're tired. We can deal with this in the morning. Are you staying or heading to your place?"

In answer, Derek shrugged out of his coat and tossed it over one of hers on the coat rack. He kicked off his shoes as well before moving closer to her. "I'd be honoured to have your couch since I know my chances are slim tonight that you'll forgive me enough to let me share your bed."

"Well, you do get some points for heading straight here, hot stuff. Come on, let's go get some rest or we'll be useless for work in mere hours."

"You really haven't checked your phone, have you, sweetness?"

"I already told you…"

"Hush. Come with me." Derek led Penelope into her room and dropped down on the closest side of the bed once he was near enough. He reached over and retrieved her cellphone where it sat on the nightstand. She took it from his proffered hand and reluctantly read the message she had ignored earlier.

_"Hey, Pen, I know I am right under the wire and I am sorry to not get a chance to properly acknowledge our anniversary but we're on our way home and I'll head straight over. Strauss is in a rare mood and has given us tomorrow off so we've got an extra long weekend unless something huge comes up. With four days off I hope you'll let me make it up to you for messing things up for tonight. Looking forward to seeing you soon, baby girl. D."_

"Oh!"

"That's it? Oh!"

"Well, that and the time stamp is November 12th at 11:48 PM so I guess I have to blame the Bureau's cell courier for thinking you had decided our friendship was no longer important enough to commemorate."

"Could never happen, Pen."

"Never say, never my darling profiler. We both know life is a fickle thing and emotions so much moreso."

"Not for us. Look at all our friendship has withstood. I know a good thing when I have it and there is only one thing that could ever make me consider ending this friendship."

"Whatever you say, Derek. Let's get some sleep before you become anymore incoherent." Penelope moved around the bed to "her" side leaving Derek to peel off all his clothing except his boxers and t-shirt then proceed into the bathroom to brush his teeth before he padded back into the bedroom and slid under the covers beside her. He rolled onto his side to face her as she lay on her back.

"For the record, my all knowing one, I am not incoherent from lack of sleep. There really is only one valid reason for me to ever end our friendship. I promise you. Now, good night." He leaned over her and pressed a chaste kiss to her temple before wrapping an arm around her waist and promptly going to sleep. Or so Penelope believed.

"Bet it's not the reason I'm thinking of," she said in a whisper but to her shock he replied.

"All you have to do is ask what the reason is and I'll tell you, baby girl."

"What's the reason, Derek?" Penelope asked as she also turned onto her side still held firmly in his embrace.

"Before I answer that, you know I love you, right?"

"You've mentioned it a time or two over the years, yes."

"But do you believe it?"

"Yes, I believe you love me as I do you. What does that have to do with your one reason?"

"Everything."

"Sweetie, you have my attention. Spill!"

"I'd prefer to show you," Derek said as he closed the small distance separating their faces. Penelope accepted the kiss to her lips as she had many a friendly peck from him before until she realized his tongue was gently dancing along her lower lip. She granted him the entrance he was seeking, meeting his tongue willingly with her own. His arm, which was embracing her, tightened drawing her body up against him. She could feel every contour of his hard body against the softness of her own and as she had always hoped they complimented one another well but could she dare trust the point he thought he was trying to make?

Far too soon for her liking Derek brought their short dance to an end with a little nip. His eyes remained closed as Penelope lay in his arms waiting; she was no longer certain for what exactly. When he did open his eyes his gaze was smoldering. She could smell the smoke of their friendship starting to singe from the embers and felt the flames as the fire ignited and consumed everything in its path with Derek's next words,

"It's time to put an end to our friendship, baby girl. I want far more from our relationship for that to be enough anymore. Are you with me?"

"You want me to agree to ending our friendship for the sake of adding the benefit of sex?"

"Hell, no. Pen, you have to know you mean far more to me than for me to ever reduce you and our friendship that way. I want the entire policy with full insurance benefits and premiums. I want you. I want us. I want you, me and grandbabies for my mama, too."

"In that case, it's just as well you missed our anniversary last night because I think this new aspect of our relationship deserves some serious celebration. Wouldn't you agree?"

Derek chose to respond with actions. He met Penelope's lips with his own once more and both gave themselves to one another and the celebration of the end of their friendship.

Finis.

6


End file.
